Pilot Study Demonstrates Feasibility of Digital Tool for Dietary Goal Setting in Primary Care Diabetes Management

A recent study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, published by Elsevier, evaluated the feasibility of Nutri, a user-centered digital platform designed to support personalized, evidence-based diet goal setting during routine primary care visits for patients with type 2 diabetes. Findings show that primary care providers (PCPs) who used the system consistently, found it usable and satisfactory, and that patients were able to engage with the intervention effectively.

Researchers conducted a cluster-randomized controlled trial across a network of federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) in Texas. Sixteen PCPs and 30 of their adult patients with diabetes or prediabetes participated in the study. Nutri synthesized patient dietary recall data using a rules-based expert system, prioritizing key dietary issues and guiding collaborative goal setting between provider and patient within a standard primary care visit.

Results showed that PCPs used Nutri in 100% of eligible appointments, with a satisfaction score of 3.8 out of 5 and above-average usability ratings. Patients, most of whom were from underserved communities, engaged with the intervention successfully, with 81% reporting that they set a diet goal with their provider and over half initiating that goal within one week.

Lead author Marissa Burgermaster, PhD, assistant professor of population health at Dell Medical School and assistant professor of nutritional sciences at the College of Natural Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin, said, “PCPs are on the front lines of diabetes care but often lack the time and training for effective nutrition counseling. Nutri integrates into the visit workflow and supports shared decision-making, making it easier for providers and patients to set actionable dietary goals.”

The study provides a strong foundation for a future large-scale trial to evaluate Nutri’s effectiveness in improving diet quality and clinical outcomes. Researchers note that digital tools like Nutri may help close nutrition care gaps, particularly in low-resource settings, by making dietary counseling more efficient, accessible, and personalized.

Notes for editors

The article is "Pilot Trial of Nutri, a Digital Intervention for Personalized Dietary Management of Diabetes in Safety-Net Primary Care," by Marissa Burgermaster, PhD; Madalyn Rosenthal, BS; Brandon S. Altillo, MD, MPH; Mariana Rendon Flores, MS, RD; Eesha Nayak, BS; Dagny N. Larson, MS, RD; James Custer, MS; Lola Okunade, MD; William M. Tierney, MD; Steven Andrews, PhD; Grant Daniels, BS; and Paul J. Rathouz, PhD (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2025.03.015). It appears in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, volume 57, issue 7 (July 2025), published by Elsevier.

The article is openly available for 90 days at https://www.jneb.org/article/S1499-4046(25)00095-8/fulltext.

Full text of the article is also available to credentialed journalists upon request; contact Eileen Leahy at 732 406 1313 or [email protected] to obtain a copy. To schedule an interview with the author(s), please contact Marissa Burgermaster, PhD, The University of Texas at Austin, at [email protected].

The authors would like to acknowledge that this research was supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality R21HS027660.

An audio podcast featuring an interview with Marissa Burgermaster, PhD, and other information for journalists are available at https://www.jneb.org/content/media. Excerpts from the podcast may be reproduced by the media with permission from Eileen Leahy.

About the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (JNEB)

The Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (JNEB), the official journal of the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior (SNEB), is a refereed, scientific periodical that serves as a resource for all professionals with an interest in nutrition education and dietary/physical activity behaviors. The purpose of JNEB is to document and disseminate original research, emerging issues, and practices relevant to nutrition education and behavior worldwide and to promote healthy, sustainable food choices. It supports the society’s efforts to disseminate innovative nutrition education strategies, and communicate information on food, nutrition, and health issues to students, professionals, policy makers, targeted audiences, and the public.

The Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior features articles that provide new insights and useful findings related to nutrition education research, practice, and policy. The content areas of JNEB reflect the diverse interests of health, nutrition, education, Cooperative Extension, and other professionals working in areas related to nutrition education and behavior. As the Society's official journal, JNEB also includes occasional policy statements, issue perspectives, and member communications. www.jneb.org

About Elsevier

Elsevier is a global leader in advanced information and decision support. For over a century, we have been helping advance science and healthcare to advance human progress. We support academic and corporate research communities, doctors, nurses, future healthcare professionals and educators across 170 countries in their vital work. We do this by delivering mission-critical insights and innovative solutions that combine trusted, evidence-based scientific and medical content with cutting-edge AI technologies to help impact makers achieve better outcomes. We champion inclusion and sustainability by embedding these values into our products and culture, working with the communities that we serve. The Elsevier Foundation supports research and health partnerships around the world.

Elsevier is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. For more information, visit www.elsevier.com and follow us on social media @ElsevierConnect.